Strictly Professional
by Rogue Darth Skywalker
Summary: There are times she hates that she has to resort to this- that rather than being in a long term relationship with someone, she chose to instead pay someone for sex. Modern AU
1. Chapter 1

It has been awhile since I posted a new story. This one was supposed to be a oneshot but it got a little longer than that... by 2 chapters so far. This is one of those rare 'ideas from after midnight' that doesn't get all dark and twisty so I have to say I'm proud of that. Another good thing is that I'm almost done writing the whole thing so it should all be posted and complete very soon! This is also the first story with some smut in it that I've written in awhile. I didn't think I was too rusty until I started writing it and having one of those "I can't believe I'm writing this" moments. Hopefully it's at least decent.

As always, Happy Reading!

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Chapter 1

" _Oh God,_ " She sighed as she sunk down on him once again. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pressing his chest against hers in just the right way that her nipples chaffed against his. Lips blazed a trail of fire along her collarbone as her head tipped back once again and she lost herself in the passion and the lust she spends most of her day ignoring. Only here in the small motel room on the other side of town does she allow herself to let go. " _Harder,_ " She urged, mewling as his hands quickly found the swell of her ass and aided her as she rode him. He felt so good inside her- better than any of her past lovers- though she supposed that had more to do with how much more experience he had than anyone she knew.

There are times she hates that she has to resort to this- that rather than being in a long term relationship with someone, she chose to instead _pay_ someone for sex. That's not to say she didn't try- she had had a few long term relationships while in college and for the first two years after graduating- but they hadn't worked out for one reason or another. And so, she resigned herself to being married to her work. It wasn't ideal for someone like her who dreamed of one day getting married and having a beautiful family like her sister, but she wasn't about to abandon her ideals to keep a man nor did she want to settle for someone who just passed for decent. She wanted to marry for the right reasons- for love, to have a family built on love. It sounded cheesy and cliché to her sometimes, but it was what she wanted. And so, when her colleague, Dorme suggested hiring a sex worker to help her loosen up and to take care of her physical needs, she was rightfully at first appalled though, after almost two years of being single and slightly envious of her sister's happy marriage and perfect family, she eventually caved one night after having too much to drink and allowed her friend to set her up with one.

Anakin was young- he looked to be maybe twenty-two, twenty-five at most- his age was never disclosed to her. Not that it particularly mattered. Their first encounter she was highly inebriated but she remembered it well enough- that and the terrible hangover that followed. Despite his age, he was good at what he did and spent the entire night tending to her needs alone. His hands traced every inch of her body, seeking out the places that made her squirm, twitch, and sigh before his mouth joined in, tracing her flesh in light but deliberate patterns that made her nerves rise to the surface before he even made it to her clit.

She suddenly felt herself being flipped over. With one hand wrapped around her waist, Anakin had switched their positions, her head coming to fall back onto the pillow, his arms framing her head as he hovered over her. He paused in his thrusting, prompting her to open her eyes slightly and the sight did not disappoint. His bangs were slightly damp as they dangled in front of her and his piercing blue eyes were dark with lust as he stared at her. One of his hands gently moved from its place by her head to her chest, the tips of his fingers lightly brushing over her erect nipple. The action pulled a ragged breath from her and he smirked down at her, the right side of his mouth curling into a devilish smile that made her positively melt at the sight, and he must have known that for not a moment later did he push himself further into her. Padme gasped as he hit a spot deeper inside her, her legs coming to wrap around his waist as his thrusting slowly picked up speed.

Padme remembered that first night to be one of the best ones she had ever had up until that point. His attentions were almost psychic as he learned quickly where to touch her and what to do to bring her to the heights of ecstasy. And that was only the first time. In the times that followed, he only built on what he had learned to the point she was sure he knew her body better than even she did.

She could feel him twitch inside her as her walls clamped down tightly onto him. His breath came out ragged as the force of his thrusts picked up once again and he gripped her left thigh in his hand, pulling her leg to wrap higher around his waist, sending his cock deeper and deeper into her depths. Padme groaned, her hands flying around his damp neck, holding onto him as they both neared completion. She felt the pressure in her body rising, and her eyes closed as the pressure released and felt the overwhelming rush of climax just as he reached his. Anakin's face burrowed into her neck as his back trembled and she felt each burst of his cock as he emptied himself into the condom.

They stayed like that for several moments before he managed to pull out and climbed off the bed to clean himself up and dispose of the condom in the bathroom bin. Padme sighed as she allowed herself to slowly stretch out, her legs ached and her body still trembled but she had never felt better as a small smile crossed her lips. Anakin returned to the room a moment later, standing near the foot of the bed, he looked around the floor for his discarded clothes but paused when he heard her voice. "Stay," She said and he obeyed, his clothes forgotten as he climbed into bed with her again and wrapped an arm around her.

Her head came to rest on his chest, their legs brushing familiarly against one another as she let her mind drift. In the moments following their encounters, she liked to pretend that this must be what it would be like to be in a relationship- not like the ones she had been in before where when all was said and done they would just go to sleep- but the relationship she dreamed of, where even once they were physically sated, they could still take comfort in just sitting together in the comfortable silence- to fall asleep feeling loved. Padme knew better than to fall for him. Everything about him was just a part of the act he put on to keep her coming back and she knew she wasn't the only one treated to the show. But still, it felt nice to pretend.

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Anakin had left sometime in the middle of the night after she had fallen asleep, the small wad of money she had left by the TV, gone. It wasn't surprising as he would either leave immediately after they were finished or after she fell asleep if she asked him to. She often preferred he leave after she falls asleep if only because she won't have to see him pocket the money thereby making her feel less dirty about the exchange. The clock on the nightstand read 10:46, heaving a sigh, she relaxed a little more into the pillows, grateful it was the weekend, otherwise she would have had to endure yet another lecture from her boss who seemed more than a little eager to find fault with her. Instead, today she would just have to find a way to smile through her mother and sister's pestering her about relationships. No one in her family knew about Anakin- all for the best, knowing such knowledge would be traumatizing for her very conservative and traditional family.

She eventually mustered the strength to get out of bed and after a quick shower she checked out and got in her car to make the hour long drive to her parent's home. Every year her parents would throw a small get together of their closest friends and family around this time of year. For them, it started out as a way to always keep in touch with some of their friends from Yale but over the years it got smaller as friends moved away and life got more complicated. Now it was mostly just a small social event that was just an excuse for the immediate family to come together and interact without the fake pleasantries of a holiday forcing them to be merry. Padme used to love these when she was a kid and their friends from Yale would come. Her parent's friends were always so interesting with some of the most interesting stories from all over the world. One of them even founded a non-profit dedicated to fostering young girl's interest in STEM programs. And those stories were the sparks that led her to her current job at a local non-profit focused on improving the lives of urban youths. But the friends who told her those stories had long since moved on, leaving her without people who truly share in her passions and now most of the conversations at these parties directed at her centered more around her dead-end relationships than her work, which has become increasingly annoying to the point that she has answers already prepared for every question they will ask her.

Her sister's car was parked in the driveway by the time she arrived and after walking through her parent's front door she was greeted by the sound of tiny footsteps as her two young nieces swarmed her legs. Padme fell to her knees before them and embraced them in a large hug. "Oh! I've missed you two so much!" She said, kissing their heads as she pulled back.

"We missed you too, Auntie Padme," Ryoo, the older of the two said.

The sound of larger footsteps approaching had Padme looking up slightly just in time to see her sister come to stand in the hallway leading to the kitchen, her hands resting casually on her hips. "There she is! My baby sister!" She said laughing as Padme rose to hug her sister. "You really need to visit more. Pooja asks if you're going to be here every time I bring them here."

She couldn't help but laugh a little. It made sense though as Padme hadn't been to her sister's home since Ryoo's birthday six months ago. Sola didn't even live too far from their parent's- only about twenty minutes. But she had so little time to herself during the week that the weekends she often reserved to errands she had to put off, organizing schedules for the next week, making concepts for future events, and maybe if she wasn't exhausted she would send a text to Anakin to meet at the motel. She just didn't have enough time to visit as often as she would like to. "I'll try," She said, pulling back from the hug and linking her arm with Sola's as they walked to the kitchen. "So, what do we have done so far?" She asked.

"Oh, we're just trying to figure out what mom should make for the dinner," Sola said with a shrug. "You might want to sit that one out though," And they shared a small knowing laugh as Padme's skills in the kitchen were better suited for a poisoning scene in Game of Thrones. "Why don't you try and find the table linens? Mom can't seem to find that lavender one with the scroll pattern- the wavy one. It isn't in the linen closet."

"What about the hall storage closet?"

Sola gave a shrug, "Maybe, but I'm not brave enough to look through it."

She smiled as she crossed into the kitchen and watched her mother pouring over a printed out recipe as she tied her apron on. "Hi Mom," She greeted.

"Padme! I'm glad you're here do you think you could-"

"I've already sent her on a search for that tablecloth," Sola interrupted.

Their mother smiled and gave a small nod, "Well then, best of luck."

Sola was right not to search through the hall closet. Their mother had so much stuff it was a wonder to them how she managed to find anything at all. The closet was packed high with Tupperware filled with everything from old kids clothes from when they were kids to miss-matched china that has never been used. From where she sat sifting through the boxes she was fortunately still close enough that she could still engage in conversation with her sister and mother in the kitchen. It was a good distraction from the mess in front of her.

"…And then, not only do I run into his mother, but him as well," Her mother was saying. "When Paulo left right after graduating high school, I never thought he would come back. Didn't you think so too, Padme?"

High school felt like a lifetime ago for her and Paulo was not exactly a pleasant memory for her. He hadn't done anything wrong, he was just… full of himself. His passion for art made him a romantic by nature but his gift for it made him cocky. And looking back on the three years she had dated him, she wished she had gone for the school's linebacker. Gregor Typho might not have been well versed with flirting, but he had at least been a good listener and if she had known the guy had had a crush on her before they graduated, there might have been a chance. But that chance is long gone with Typho on the other side of the country working security for some celebrity or another. "Knowing Paulo, I figured he'd be anywhere but here," Padme said.

"Yes, well, apparently it has something to do with finding his muse again," Her mother replied, and she could tell she was smiling as she spoke. "Maybe we should extend an invite to him. A change of scenery does an artist good, or so I'm told."

Padme was grateful for the wall between them, freeing her to roll her eyes without anyone seeing. "He wouldn't want to come anyway," She argued. "He doesn't go to the kind of get together you're planning."

"Oh, you don't know that!" Her mother said, "Besides, wouldn't it be nice to catch up with him after all these years? You two were so close at one time."

"I already have a date," Padme said, the words leaving her mouth before she could stop them. Where had that come from?

The kitchen fell silent the moment it registered what she had said. Padme's mind raced in search of a way to recant her words. But there was no way to tell them she had said something else, and the scenarios in her head where she tries to ignore what she said only seem to make the situation worse. Instead, she focuses her attention on looking through the contents of one of the tubs in front of her that look to hold tablecloths. She hears her sister walk over to the entranceway of the hallway, her eyes seeming to burn holes into her head as she stared.

"Padme," She said slowly, "Did you just say you _have_ a date?" The surprise was clear in her tone and Padme squeezed her eyes shut, silently praying for something to save her from having to come up with a story.

"Yes," She muttered. "I-I haven't asked him yet per se…" Her eyes hesitantly met her sister's, which looked beyond excited for her. "I mean, he's not really a date- just a… friend. He might not even come-"

Sola shook her head, "No, no, he _has_ to come!" She said, pulling Padme into a tight hug and squealing like a teenage girl. "Oh! I can't believe it! It finally happened! You _finally_ found someone after all these years! You know I was starting to worry you'd end up as one of those crazy single cat ladies without the cats."

Padme pulled back and raised a brow at her sister who couldn't seem to stop smiling, "I'm only twenty-eight," She argued.

Her sister just gave a shrug, before plopping on her butt beside her, "You have to tell me _all_ about him! No, no! Don't tell me yet! Tell me after the party! Oh! I'm so happy for you!"

Padme gave a small pained smile before turning back to the tub and rummaging until her fingers met with a textured pattern. Pulling it out, she inspected it- lavender with the scroll pattern.


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the delay! I meant to get this out much sooner but I had work and then I wanted to get further in the development of this story before I posted any more and it just took me a bit longer than I originally thought. Good thing is this story is almost completely written as I'd say I'm at about 80% completion, it is also much longer than I originally planned currently standing at 5 chapters after splitting the story up a little bit.**

 **Anyway, I hope to have this story fully posted very soon!**

 **Happy reading!**

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Chapter 2

The weekend passed slowly for her as she not only had to rush on Sunday to get her work schedules organized for the volunteer event on Monday, but she also had to run through the list of guys she knew that could pass for her date to the party the following weekend. Bail was a good friend of hers, smart, caring, romantic, charming… he was also about twenty years older than her but that wasn't the biggest issue. He was married and as much as Breha likes her, she doubts she would appreciate her asking to borrow her husband for a date. Her neighbor Ben was single, but he was away on a business trip and wasn't expected to be back for a while. She could ask some of the guys who volunteer regularly at events, but she's maybe only said ten things to them- most of them being instructions for the various events and meaningless pleasantries.

Padme groaned as she picked up her phone and scrolled through her contacts once again. Were these really the only men she was in contact with? She had to have other friends who could help her. But, other than the two men she had already ruled out, the only other male contacts in her phone were business contacts who she spoke to once every few months and… Anakin. She couldn't ask him. How awkward would that be to introduce her family to her… call boy. It was wrong. And yet, he was young, handsome, he could act (at least from what she had seen), and if she paid him… how would that be any different than their other encounters? Instead of sex, he'd just be her date- her escort. She knew there were places that offer similar services but the question was would Anakin do it? How much would he charge her for it? If they went by the typical hourly rate he charged, it probably wouldn't be much more than she normally paid him in a week.

Her finger hovers over the name in her contacts. What other choice does she have? She could lie and say her nonexistent date couldn't make it, which would only prompt them to invite him another time, or she could tell the truth and have to figure out why she said what she said in the first place. With a heavy sigh, she pressed Anakin's name in her contacts and sent him the usual text: "10PM good for you?"

A few moments later, her phone buzzed with his answer: "Sure."

A quick glance at the time told her she had two hours before she had to be there and deciding that she had spent enough time worrying about the party for the moment, she then shifted her attention back to work if only to distract her for a little longer.

The two hours passed by far too slowly for her liking but when it was finally time to go, she was both glad and anxious and the drive only made it worse as, as luck would have it, she managed to hit every red light between her apartment and the motel, giving her an unnecessary amount of time to think about what she wanted to ask Anakin. She could just forget about the whole thing and just enjoy what he gives her tonight, but that doesn't solve her problem and she can only postpone it for so long. The sooner she asks, the sooner she can guarantee she has him booked that day.

Padme barely looked at the receptionist as she checked in. By now they knew her by face and the fake name she always checked in with but nothing more. Once safely behind the door to the room, she takes a moment to run the scenarios in her head. Her need for advanced planning had always been an asset when it came to school and work, but when it came to unknown variables like social situations and requests, it was often a hindrance as the reactions could be innumerable and this was one of those variables. She knew so little about who Anakin was as a person that it was hard to know what he would think of her request. He seemed fairly calm, even allowing her to indulge in one of her more… kinky fantasies without obviously judging her. And what she wanted from him this time wasn't nearly as kinky as when she asked to tie him to the bed and have her way with him.

A light blush rose to her cheeks at the memory but she quickly brushed it aside as she reached into her purse and counted out the money before pulling out the amount for his service and placing it next to the TV where she always put it. The clock told her he should be here in a matter of minutes and after taking a moment to simply clear her head, she played her request in her head one more time to make sure she had the wording right.

Not a moment after she ran through the words for the third time, a light knock on the door was heard and she answered it as she always did. Standing in the doorway was Anakin. Dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a fitted white tee that accented the build of his figure, he gave her a small smile before she stepped aside to let him enter. His eyes trailed her body, looking her up and down, in a way that made it seem as though he could read her every mood. "Any special requests?" He asked, his eyes flashing in that dangerous way that made her legs tremble.

Her mouth opened but the words she had planned so carefully were lost to her. "Yes," She said, "I mean, sorta."

He laughed as he took a seat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on his forearms casually. "I'm yours for the next hour. We'll do whatever you want," He flashed her another smile, this one less dangerous and more friendly, encouraging her to just tell him what she wanted.

"I need a date," She blurted. "Sorta. There's this party- more like a dinner- at my parent's next week and I told them I had a date. So I need a date," She explained. Padme shifted on her feet, feeling slightly humiliated that she was asking him of all people to do this for her. Her family would no doubt have questions for him- how they met, how long they've known one another, what he does for a living- oh God… how was he going to answer _that_?

Padme was pulled from her thoughts at the sound of his laughter. He shook his head and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked up at her. "You want to bring _me_ to a party with your _family_?" He asked. "Are you sure about that?"

"I swear I'll pay you for your time," She said, a little more desperate than she intended.

"Forget the money for a moment," He said, surprising her as she thought he would jump at the opportunity to be paid for doing something other than sex. "What exactly do you know about me? You know my name, and you know I'm good in bed," He said, counting the list out on a hand. He gave a small hiss before he continued, "Doesn't exactly sound like a good plan to me."

"I know," She said, "I don't know what else to do. The good thing is this might get them off my back about dating for a while, but I don't have anyone else to ask." She could tell he was thinking about it, his eyes focused on hers as if testing her to pull back but she had come this far and can't back out now. "Party isn't that long since it's just my family, and I'll double the usual fee," She said, hoping the extra money would convince him.

Anakin took a moment longer before he let out a tired sigh and gave a small nod, "Alright. I'll do it," He said.

Padme sighed in relief at his answer, "Great!" She said, "But they can't know you do… this," She said indicating to the motel room. "So we'll need a story to-"

"Do you honestly think I advertise this on my resume?" He asked with an amused smile on his face. "Padme, this is more of a side job. I do have a day job."

"Oh," she said, slightly embarrassed for not figuring that out.

Anakin chuckled lightly as he stood from the bed and walked to stand directly in front of her. "So, next week I'm your… escort?" Padme nodded, "Okay, now that we have that figured out, do you still require my… usual services?" And after they day she has had, the answer was a resounding yes.


	3. Chapter 3

**Two chapters in one day because I am apparently very motivated right now. Next chapter should be up within the next two days if the high mood continues!**

 **Happy reading!**

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Chapter 3

He was late. In all the time she had known him, Anakin had never been late. They had decided earlier in the week that it would be easier for them both if they met outside the motel and then she would drive them to her parents. It shouldn't be taking him this long to get here. She was almost tempted to text him and see what was keeping him but just before she followed through, she saw him pull into the motel lot. His car was a little worse for wear, creaky and with several rust stains at the base of the doors, in truth, it looked like it could die at any given moment and in her mind, she figured that must have been the reason he was late.

Anakin pulled into the parking space next to hers and after ramming his shoulder into the door a few times to open it, he finally climbed out. "I'm late, I'm sorry," He said, frantically dusting off his black dress pants and running his hand through his hair. Padme took the moment to actually notice for once he wasn't wearing just a tee shirt and jeans like he always had but a suit. It looked a little old with the pant legs about an inch too short and the white shirt he wore had a slight fold in the collar but it clearly looked as though he put the effort into looking presentable. "My boss let me out a little later than usual, and when I got back to my place, I needed to shower, and iron this thing, and I haven't used an iron in years so-"

"It's fine," She said, holding her hands up to silently tell him to relax, "Really, we're not going to be that _late_."

Anakin let out a slow breath and she could see his shoulders relax slightly. She smiled reassuringly at him as she unlocked her car and they got in. He was so tall in her car that he had to adjust the seat almost all the way back for him to fit. He looked around the car, inspecting what he could see. Based on the car he drove, she figured this was probably one of the nicest cars he has been in, though hers wasn't much to talk about as it had been her father's car before it became hers in high school. Padme turned over the engine and as it roared to life, her check engine light flashed red as it had been doing for the past month or so. Anakin didn't miss it.

"You know you're supposed to check the engine when it does that, right?" He asked.

"Of course," She said, "And I did. I just don't have time to get it fixed."

"What's the problem?"

Padme took a moment to think back to when she went to get the code read, "Something about a sensor," She said, "They said it could wait," she said without looking at him as she pulled out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"You mean a mass air flow sensor?" He asked, "That's one of the more common sensors to go out. Either that, or it's the O2 sensor. Either way, if you've been letting it sit like that for at least three months or so, it's not too dangerous, but it does put you at risk for a more dangerous repair. And this car looks to be at least ten years old and this make tends to have a few things go wrong after about 100,000 miles- the biggest one being the spillover valve failing."

Padme raised a brow and turned slightly to look at him, "You know cars?"

He gave a shrug, "I told you I have a day job," He said, his arm resting against the window.

Padme returned her eyes to the road. A mechanic. He's a mechanic. Having only known him through his other job, this new information surprised her. When he had told her he had a day job she had thought he worked some low paying minimum wage job. Mechanics are paid pretty well from what she has seen. And that only begged the question of why he even needed the second job.

The hour car ride was passed mostly in silence. Neither seemed to know how to navigate this new component to their… arrangement and it was uncertain if this new form of communication was just for the party or if it was a more permanent thing. By the time Padme pulled into the driveway of her parent's home, her sister and her husband had already arrived. Anakin, playing the part of her date, came to stand by her side, their arms brushing against each other gently as they walked up to the front door. Sola was the first to greet them, embracing her tightly before turning her attention to Anakin.

"And who might this be?" Sola asked, exchanging a knowing look with Padme.

Anakin gave a charming smile and held out his hand to her sister, "Anakin. Anakin Skywalker," He said. "And you must be Padme's sister. She's told me so much about you."

Sola laughed, "Oh I doubt it. Padme much prefers talking about work and whatnot. Is that how you two met?"

Padme swallowed at her sister's question. She had no idea how to answer that and while she internally stressed over an answer, Anakin it seemed was relatively calm as he gave a shrug and said, "Something like that. We actually met through one of her friends."

Padme let out a soft breath, grateful he seemed to be handling this better than she was. She was so nervous about the dinner and how to explain everything that it made it difficult to just relax. Anakin looked to be the opposite- so relaxed that answers just seemed to flow naturally out of him.

They talked with her sister for a little longer before Sola excused herself to help their mother finish setting the table. In the living room, Padme caught her brother-in-law as he poured himself a drink at the bar. "Long day?" She asked, knowing him well enough to know he didn't drink very often.

"One word: Frozen," He grumbled, glancing to the other side of the room where his girls were playing with their grandfather.

Padme caught Anakin smiling at the scene, "Oh, Anakin this is Darred," She introduced, "He's Sola's husband."

The two men shook hands, "I trust you've already met my wife then," Darred said, "I hope she didn't quiz you too much."

Anakin gave a shrug, "I knew what to expect," He answered, "I imagine there will be more quizzing later on."

Her brother-in-law laughed and spared a glance at her father, "Yeah, you can say that again," He said. "You'll do fine. Ruwee talks big but he's a real softy once you get to know him."

Anakin gave a nod, "Good to know."

"Dinner!" Sola called from the other room.

Padme shook her head, "She yells at the top of her lungs instead of walking ten steps into the next room to tell us," She muttered to Anakin as they walked to the dining room.

He chuckled lightly as he gave a small shrug, "I bet that made things interesting when you were a kid."

She groaned as she took her seat beside him, "You could say that."

Her mother was just finishing bringing the food out as they all took their seats. Her mother taking the seat at the head of the table between her and her sister while her father took the head at the other end between his granddaughters.

Padme could feel her father's eyes on her and Anakin and she just knew he was sizing him up to determine if he was worthy of his daughter's love. If only her father knew the truth… though that was bound to only make matters worse.

"So…" Her father finally said as her mother finished setting the plates down and everyone started to serve themselves, "You're dating my daughter," He said, eyeing Anakin carefully.

"We're not really dating, Dad," Padme answered, "He's just a friend. We've known each other for a while."

"Even so," Her father continued, "I find it curious I've never met or even heard of this friend before."

She gave a shrug, "It never came up."

Ruwee smiled, "And that is why I'd like to know more about this friend," He said, turning his attention to Anakin, "So tell me, Anakin, is it? What do you do for a living? Are you also in the non-profit work like Padme?"

Anakin shook his head, "No sir. I'm actually a mechanical engineer."

Padme tried to hide her surprise at his answer. Why didn't he just say he was a mechanic? Did he really think he needed to impress her parents? It wasn't like they were dating.

Regardless, his answer seemed to impress her father, "Engineer?" He echoed, nodding his approval. "I imagine there's more opportunities for you in other cities though, why here?"

Anakin gave a shrug, "Family mostly. My sister is just finishing high school. I figured it would be best to stay here rather than move across the country her last year."

Her mother frowned as she listened to him speak, "What about your parents?"

"Not in the picture," He said simply. "It's just me and her- has been for a while."

Padme watched her parents exchange a sad look and she couldn't help but notice Anakin shift uncomfortably as if he had said too much.

"Must have been hard," Her father said.

"Yes, sir. But we're fine," Anakin answered, a little quickly, a clear yet subtle indicator to change the subject.

Ruwee complied with his silent request, "I have a friend from Yale. Works for one of those Tesla companies. I always get so confused about what they do since you hear so much about the cars but then you hear things like a solar factory? Is that what you do?"

"Well, I mostly do cars at the moment but nothing nearly as fancy as the Teslas- not yet anyway, but I want to someday," Anakin said with a small smile.

"That's good," Her father said. "I worked in pharmaceuticals most of my career and staying relevant and keeping with the times is always the biggest challenge. I imagine it's a bit different in your field."

He gave a shrug, "A bit," He admitted, "But I enjoy it." He looked away from her father for a moment in within that time, her father made eye contact with her, a proud look on his face as if he approved of him.

Padme couldn't hold his gaze. She started to regret bringing Anakin as now it seemed this was the standard she had to meet when she actually brought a boyfriend home. And knowing everything about this dinner was a lie only made her feel worse.

The rest of the dinner went well. Conversation eventually shifted away from Anakin as her nieces took center stage- talking about school, and after-school activities like they were the best things in the world. And after dinner ended, her father invited Anakin out to the second garage for some "man-to-man time"… whatever that was. Padme hoped her father would spare him any further interrogation not just because she didn't want something to accidentally slip about the real nature of their relationship, but because she could just tell how he would rather keep some things to himself. She couldn't blame him for that. It might be part of the reason he lied and said he was an engineer.

Padme could see them through the kitchen window as her father led Anakin into the garage her father used for his tools and some of the repair projects he always said he would get around to but never did.

"Okay, so spill," Sola said as she came up behind her, bringing one of the serving bowls with her to pack up the leftovers.

"What?"

"Spill," Sola repeated. "I mean, there is obviously something between you two. What is it?"

Padme shook her head, "That's not true. It's just your imagination." She turned her attention back to the window. Her father had pulled out the old lawn mower that had broken down months ago and both men were leaning over the engine, pointing at different places and talking most likely about ways to fix it. "Anakin and I are just friends," She said, "Our relationship is strictly professional."

Her sister scoffed, "Please, then why do you look at him like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you've seen him naked."

Her head whipped around, her eyes wide as she looked at her sister, "What?" She asked, incredulous at the statement, "I have not!" She argued.

Sola held her hands up, "You know it is perfectly normal to be a little more… _friendly_ with some friends, I'm not judging. But I can tell he likes you as more than just a friend."

She shook her head, "He doesn't," She argued, her eyes narrowing slightly. To him, she was probably just another business transaction and any look he might give her is just a farce to make the lie more believable. It was his job. And he did a fine job of it but she knew the truth. What they shared was not something on an emotional level- it was just physical. Physical pleasure performed in such a way to give the illusion of an emotional connection. It wasn't real.


	4. Chapter 4

**This story is almost done! I'm hoping Chapter 5 will be the last chapter and I have that mostly written but the ending is a bit iffy so it _might_ be six chapters if I can't get it to end properly. The next update might take a little longer as I bring it to an end but I expect it will be up before the weekend.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 4

"You know, you could have told them you're a mechanic," She said halfway through the drive back. "They wouldn't have thought you less for it."

"But I'm not," He argued. Padme turned her head to regard him for a moment. "I'm not a mechanic," He said as if to emphasize what he meant.

"You said you have a day job," She said, her eyes returning to the road. "I thought since you know cars-"

"I'm an engineer," He said. "I test engines at the car factory for defects. "

Silence filled the car as she took the time to register what was being said. She found it difficult to understand why he would continue the lie now that the dinner was over. Could it really be true that he was an engineer? It didn't seem likely. What then prompted him to take on his night job as a sex worker? It didn't make sense. "But you…"

"I don't want to talk about it." He said, his voice low and with an edge to it she hadn't expected.

His reaction worried her and only served to remind her how little she knew about him and his reasons for doing what he does. She knew Anakin didn't go through a pimp like some of the others Dorme had suggested. But when she hired him, she hadn't thought to wonder why he would choose to get into this line of work in the first place. Even after, she hadn't thought about it and realizing this, only showed how selfish she really was in this entire arrangement. Padme had always thought herself to be a compassionate person- someone who put the needs of others ahead of her own and who did whatever she could to help someone in need… But in the months she had known Anakin, it never crossed her mind. Never once did she consider that he was in some sort of trouble that forced him into selling himself.

"I hate it when people look like that," He said suddenly.

"Sorry?"

"You have this look like you feel sorry for me- like I'm _broken_ or something," He said. His eyes drifted to look out the side window.

"I'm sorry," She said. "I'm just trying to understand-"

"You don't need to," He sighed. "It's my business so stay out of it."

Padme opened her mouth to press him for more but decided against it. He was right that it was his business. He had a right to his secrets. And who was she to ask him to reveal them to her? The rest of the car ride was spent in silence. Her eyes were focused only on the road ahead while his eyes were trained out the side window, lost in thought somewhere and he only came back as they pulled into the parking lot of the motel.

"Thank you for coming," Padme said as she turned off the car, her hands folding in her lap, "I really appreciated it."

"Don't mention it. All apart of the service anyway," He said.

Padme hesitated reaching for her purse to give him his pay and turned her head to look directly at him. "How much do you need?"

"Well, we were there for three hours so-"

"No," She cut him off, "To get out of this- I know it's none of my business, but how much do you need to pay off what you need to pay off?"

Anakin's eyebrows rose in surprise and he let out a weak laugh, "More than you can pay, believe me."

"I want to help-"

"And I don't want your help," He said, "Pay me for tonight and we'll go our separate ways like always."

"Is that really what you want?" She asked, "Don't you want to be free of all of this? Free to be with who you want to be with, and not who pays you to be with them?"

He scoffed, "Don't you?" He countered. "You can have anyone you want and yet every week you pay me to fuck you. I get money out of it. Money that I need to get by. What do you get out of it?"

Padme was silent for several minutes as she thought about it. What did she get out of their encounters besides a temporary bliss? "…A fantasy," She whispered.

"So while you're paying for a fantasy that lasts about an hour, I'm trying to make mine a permanent reality."

She had no counter to offer him and tensions in the car were rising faster than she could control. And so, she silently placed the money owed in his hand and watched him go.

* * *

The work she had to do the following week had her swamped by the end of the day, leaving her more than happy to just fall into bed upon returning home rather than arranging to meet with Anakin as she usually did a few times every week. Perhaps that was for the best seeing as they hadn't exactly parted well after the dinner. She felt horrible about how they had left things but she couldn't say it was entirely her fault. She only wanted to help- wanted to try and see him as a person rather than the commodity she now realizes she had been treating him as. For the first time since she had met him, she tried to put herself in his shoes and she hated what she saw. She hated to think how others could be treating him. There were times when he would arrive at the motel and as they lay together she could faintly see or feel marks on his otherwise perfect flesh- a bruise, a small cut, a burn… she hadn't thought much of it at the time, but now, she couldn't help but wonder. Padme liked to think she wasn't on the same level as those who would leave those marks. But maybe the marks she left weren't physical.

Halfway through the following week, Padme finally mustered the strength to text Anakin. They agreed to meet as they always had at the usual place and usual time. She wanted to try and put their last encounter out of mind. She knew he wasn't likely to open up to her any more than he had and so she decided it best to simply let things go back to the way they had been before back when things were simple and there wasn't the mess of the real world to interfere- when the lie was easy to believe. But she wasn't sure how that could happen- she wasn't sure if she could. She wanted to help and while she knows it isn't her place to pry, she couldn't help but try to figure out what kind of trouble gets a person like Anakin- someone who is smart enough to be an engineer, with a well-paying job- into something like being a sex worker on the side. She couldn't imagine that the extra work paid as well as his day job and found it troubling to think that such little extra money on the side makes any sort of difference.

Padme tried to put it out of her mind. She tried to prepare herself for the return to normal she had originally planned to have once the dinner ended, convincing herself that since his problems were financial, that she was helping simply by using his service.

It didn't work. When their eyes met she could only think about the terrible things she pictured got him into his situation, and with the smile he gave her she could only wonder how many other times he did this in order to make ends meet. And as they kissed, her mind drifted back to the other questions and scenarios she had tried to ignore. Anakin pulled back only long enough to pull his shirt over his head, before leading her to lay down on the bed.

His lips pressed into her neck while his fingers lifted her hips slightly to brush the bulge in his pants against her center. A soft sigh escaped from between her lips as a low rumble from his throat vibrated through her, sending a tremor of pleasure throughout her body. Padme's eyes closed as she let her head fall back and her nails gripped at the warm flesh of his arms. She tried desperately to relax in his hold, to let her mind focus on the moment, but she just couldn't. Behind closed eyes, she could only think about how wrong all of this felt. She didn't want the sex. She wanted something else. Something she hadn't thought of before and it made her gut tighten with guilt as she thought about it.

"Stop," She said, rearranging her hand to press to his chest lightly.

Anakin halted immediately and pulled back. His breath fanned across her face as he hovered above her. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Padme pushed him back some more, allowing them both to sit up. "Yeah," She said, arranging herself to sit against the backboard.

"What is it?" He asked, shifting his position slightly to sit more comfortably at the foot of the bed, one leg bent under the other as he leaned back on his arms.

She gave a small shrug, "I'm sorry, I just…" She couldn't find the words to finish and as she grasped for words, she heard him let out a breath.

"You don't want to," He said, muttering a curse under his breath. "The dinner. I knew it was a bad idea," He said, "I just knew it… stupid," He whispered, rising from the bed and grabbing the discarded black tee shirt from the floor, pulling it roughly over his head before bending over to look under the bed for his discarded shoes. With his back to her, he roughly pulled the shoes on and angrily started to tie them, muttering insults and curses directed at himself under his breath.

"Wait!" She called, crawling over to the end of the bed and lightly touching his back, "Don't go."

Anakin shook his head as he finished lacing his shoes "Look, if we're not going to have sex, there are other people who will," He said.

"You don't have to leave to get the money," She said, "I'll still pay you for the time-"

He scoffed as he ran a hand roughly through his hair. "You'd pay me for _nothing_?"

"Yes," She said. "I feel horrible about this-"

"And you think giving me charity makes you a better person," He hissed. "The reality is a little good for someone else only benefits the person giving it. It makes _you_ feel better while making everyone else feel terrible." He said. "I don't need your charity. I don't want it."

His words hit her hard as his perspective on things was so vastly different from hers. Was that really true? Or was that just his line of thinking? "So the problem with accepting help is that it makes you feel bad?"

He shook his head and his eyes met hers as he grabbed his jacket from the end of the bed.

For a moment she thought he was just going to ignore her before he let out a harsh breath, "I don't need to owe you any favors," He said, his voice sounding almost hurt.

Padme noticed the way his shoulders stiffened and how his jaw clenched. He stood before her in a defensive stance that reminded her of some of the teenagers she worked with. It was such a small detail, but one that spoke volumes to her, telling her that his story was the same as some of the kids she worked with. The same kids she worked tirelessly to give them the best chance to get out of their current situations. Anakin had one of those kids at one point in his life, she had no doubt about that now, but he still had one foot in that world and she couldn't figure out why. "You wouldn't owe me anything," She promised.

Anakin scoffed, "Like I haven't heard that before," He muttered. "Everyone wants something in return. It's only a matter of time before the favors get called in."

"I'm sorry," She said. She didn't know what exactly she was sorry for. Sorry for offering? Sorry for his situation? Sorry he something had happened that made it difficult for him to trust people? Maybe she was just sorry in general. Sorry for everything.

Anakin let out a tired breath as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat. "You've nothing to be sorry for," He said, his voice low and frustrated but not as angry as it had been moments before.

Padme shook her head, "I've treated you like… like you're _nothing_. I am sorry for that. It's not fair to you." She said.

"You pay for me. You can do whatever you want."

She shook her head again, "It's wrong though. I know that. You should know that. No one deserves to be treated the way you are."

Anakin gave a shrug, "It is what it is."

"But why?" She asked, "What makes it all worth being treated as nothing more than a commodity?" Padme had a feeling it had something to do with the sister he had mentioned. Despite him only mentioning her once, she knew she meant a lot to him- perhaps enough that he was willing to do whatever he had to support her. "Is it your sister?" She dared to ask.

Anakin's eyes held her gaze, flashing from a defensive stare to one that seemed to be weighing the dangers of sharing too much. With a solemn nod, he answered her question wordlessly. "Ahsoka," He whispered, backing himself up to lean against the dresser in the room. "She isn't really my sister… well, she is, but not…" Anakin stumbled over his words and his shoulders rolled tensely as he tried to find the right thing to say, "We were in the same foster home," He said.

"And you take care of her?"

He nodded and averted his eyes. "We're doing fine."

"Anakin," She said, her voice urging him to be honest.

He shook his head as whatever had compelled him to talk freely to her disappeared. "Why do you even care?" He asked.

"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"

He let out a humorless laugh, "Let's be honest, in the real world someone like you wouldn't even cross the same street as me."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

His lips curled in a knowing smile, "You think I don't know who you are? Padme Amidala… more like Padme Naberrie, right? Your father said he worked in pharmaceuticals, I know he meant that he owns a couple of them. I know in one year he can make at least what takes me three years to make." Anakin turned his head slightly, his eye catching hers. "Tell me I'm wrong," He challenged.

He wasn't wrong. Her father owned the third largest pharmaceutical company in the region. Now that he was older, he wasn't active in the business of it too often and rarely spoke of it since most of his energy now goes into family life and the occasional donations to relief efforts he prides himself on. But the money the company generates are still his and, evidently, hers. Padme was not fond of using her father's money often. She wanted to make her own way in life and depend only on herself. But if she ever needed it she did have her family's money and that was a security she knew not too many people had.

"That's what I thought," Anakin said as her long silence gave him the answers he already knew. The low buzz of his phone vibrating had her watching him as he glanced at the illuminated screen. "I gotta go," He said, pocketing the phone and turning towards the door.

"Don't," She urged, "I don't know what kind of mess you're in to need the money, but there has to be some other way-"

"There isn't," He said. "At least not a way to get it fast or without interest, or destroying my credit. And it's not really a mess like you think," He said with a shrug.

Padme watched his profile carefully as he seemed to debate once again if he should tell her. Standing slowly, she gently placed her hand on his back in what she hoped was a comforting gesture, "Tell me," She said quietly, hoping he would open up to her again. But he didn't. Brushing off her hand, he left without another word.


	5. Chapter 5

**The final chapter! I'll be honest, this is much shorter than I originally planned and much longer than my revised version of that plan. It took several turns throughout the drafting phase that differs from what I originally thought would happen but I think it all turned out for the best. This story was originally planned to go through their ENTIRE relationship (so 30+ chapters) and then I just wanted to outline their "professional relationship (so a oneshot) and then it took its final state which is what you've been reading. I'm thinking I might add an Epilogue or two set some time after the end of this just so some of the material I drafted doesn't go to waste but either way, this is the end. The conclusion. Hurray!**

 **Thank you to all who have reviewed, favorited and followed this story! It means so much to me to know that you enjoy it!**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 5

Something didn't add up. Sifting through her papers, she tried again to add up the numbers and correlate them with the previous months. Padme's brow furrowed when she got the same answer she did the last time and after pressing the clear button on her calculator an unnecessary number of times to make sure the previous solutions were gone, she tried again. There was no way the attendance to the tutoring program had declined so much in such a short time. That program was one of the more vital ones they offered which also included college prep seminars to help students prepare college applications, interview prep, student loan lessons, information on scholarships and so much more. The program had been running for a little over two years and Padme remembered how attendance was full the opening week. She had hoped that it was a trend that would continue for years to come… but this decline might be enough to close it down- her boss would love nothing more- and this was the excuse he needed to do it.

With a groan, she threw the calculator back into her desk before slamming the drawer shut with force.

"You okay?" Her head shot up to look over the cubicle wall and caught Dorme leaning over from her side of the wall. "Problems saving the world?"

Padme sighed and nodded, "If Palpatine finds out attendance for the tutoring program is at an all time low, then it's over," She whispered, "And that can't happen. The education system has already failed them by just passing kids along to get rid of them, the government has failed them by reducing the quality of school food and all but eliminating the free lunch programs, we can't fail them too."

"So what's the plan?" She asked.

Padme rested her arms on her desk and hung her head, "I don't know," She said, "Not yet anyway, but I'll think of something," She amended. She couldn't give up. Not on something this important.

"Hey not to change the subject on you," Dorme started, "But the girls and I were planning a girls night out since Yane's boyfriend dumped her. You in or do you have… _plans_?"

She knew what she meant by plans and the thought made her lean back tiredly in her chair. "Yeah, my normal… _plans_ have kind of fallen through." Padme had tried to contact Anakin a few times already- not for their normal encounters but to try and find some way she could help. He never answered and as of two days ago, the number had been disconnected. Any means of contacting him were now gone. Her mind would occasionally drift back to the last conversation they had and every time she ran through the scenario in her head, coming up with all the things she could have done differently.

"You really have to stop doing that," Dorme said, pulling her out of her head.

"Doing what?"

"Thinking," She said. "I mean, you do _too much_ thinking. You've always been like that, but there is only so much you can plan for,"She gave a small shrug, "Ever think to just let things take their course?"

Padme's eyes narrowed in a humorless stare, "The last time that happened we woke up in someone's backyard which we had somehow decorated with toilet paper and confetti. We were lucky the owners of that house were on vacation."

Dorme smiled at the memory, "Yeah, that was fun."

"It was childish."

She held her finger up to stop her, "It was our senior year of high school, a few pranks are well earned. But that's not the point," She said, "Point is, you need to stop trying so hard. I mean, try hard where it matters, but let loose when you can. So you lost your boy toy, big deal. You probably creeped him out with your sad pity eyes. You do realize sometimes people don't want help?"

Padme knew Dorme was right about some things. She knew that there were some people who didn't want help but it was a concept she had never been able to wrap her mind around. Dorme understood it a little better than her, but even she found it difficult to explain and so she just went with it rather than trying to find the answer. Padme was different. She wanted to try and make things better and to solve a problem one must know what the problem is, to begin with. "I know, Dorme," She said, "I'm just worried."

"You barely even know the guy," She argued, "You'd have sex with him and then go your separate ways. How does one dinner make that big of a difference?"

Padme sighed and gave a shrug, "I don't know… I just… You ever look at someone and think… if things had been different…" Her voice trailed off, unable to find the words to finish what she wanted to say. Anakin had told her that the chances they had of meeting through any normal means was nonexistent. But what if they had? What if they stood in line at the DMV once? Got carry out from the same restaurant? Went to the local flea market? And what if they had exchanged words? There was no doubt Anakin was physically attractive, and while he had been defensive about his past, he certainly made a good impression on her family. She knew there was no romance between them, but if things had been different, they very well could have been friends at least.

Dorme gave a small nod, "I think I get it," She said, "But unless you can turn back time-"

"I know," she sighed.

Silence passed between them for a moment, "So… tonight," Dorme started, returning to the original line of conversation, "The Mandalore? Drinking, dancing, and no boy troubles?"

Padme gave a small smile, "I'll be there."

—

The Mandalore was one of the up-and-coming dance clubs in the city. Its price range was what most would consider reasonable and the lights and music were ever changing as trends came and went. Padme's neighbor, Ben had been the first person to tell her about it when she first moved in. Ben had been friends with the owner for years though there were times she wondered if his relationship with the owner was truly just a friendship and nothing more.

With her arm linked through Dorme's, the two of them walked through the double glass doors of the club, their eyes adjusting to the dark and their ears vibrating with the beat of the song playing over hidden speakers. Seated at a tall round bar table along the left-hand side of the club, the two of them spotted their small group of friends already halfway through their first drinks. They were all dressed in their best party clothes with their hair and makeup done in such a way to suggest their desire to simply have fun tonight rather than just relaxing with a drink after work.

A drink was shoved in her face, not even a second after she took her seat and with raised glasses, they toasted their first girl's night in weeks before downing most of their drinks. Padme had never been much of a partying socialite- that had always been more of Dorme's area- but it was rare for the six of them to all be together now that they all had jobs and some even had families. Rabe was married with a baby boy and they had just bought their first house just outside of the city boundaries, and it had long been suspected that Sabe's boyfriend was getting ready to propose, Dorme seemed fairly comfortable without long committed relationships as she often had a new boyfriend every few months or so- she had always been like that. Out of all of them, Padme was the only one who has been single for the past few years. It didn't bother her too much, though she would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous every once in a while. She had hoped that she would have had a family by now but it just didn't seem to be the right time for her just yet.

As the night continued, she and her friends talked and laughed about whatever they could- avoiding talk about relationships and work as a means to simply enjoy what they could. Yane seemed to have cheered up considerably since she arrived and had pulled most of them onto the dance floor as a classic hit from their high school days played. Padme smiled as the six of them danced and twirled with one another, singing the lyrics as loud as they could. It was tiring and as the song came to an end, Padme dismissed herself back to the bar to grab a drink and took a seat at their table to finish it.

As another song faded, she became aware of the small vibration from her wristlet. She glanced down and checked her phone to see who was calling. She didn't recognize the number and she doubted it had anything to do with work. It was most likely spam and so she declined it and went back to her drink. She had barely taken another sip of her drink when her phone rang again with the same number and with a sigh she answered it. Whoever it was would probably keep calling until she confirmed she wasn't who they were looking for.

"Hello?"

"Padme," The voice on the other end was strained and panting as if he had been running.

"Who is this?" She asked. She didn't recognize the voice at all.

"It's me. Anakin." Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn't expected to hear from him and the tone of his voice sent a chill down her spine. She knew something was wrong. "Where are you?" He asked. "I… I need help." She could hear his frustration on the other end. He had already made it clear he hated asking for help and she could tell whatever was wrong was serious.

"I'm at The Mandalore but I can pick you up if you need-"

"No," He cut her off, "Just… go to the motel. I'll meet you there." The line cut before she could say anything else.

"Hey, Padme!" Yane called from the dance floor, her arms slung around Sabe and Teckla as they swayed with the opening beat of the next song.

She wanted to return their smile but the worry she felt concerning the short phone call she just had, made the action impossible. Instead, she shook her head and made a silent gesture she had to go. Dorme was just making her way back to the dance floor from the restroom and just as they were crossing paths, Dorme knew there was something wrong.

"Hey?" She asked, her arm gripping hers and her eyes full of worry.

"Anakin called," She said simply, giving her the quick and easy explanation before practically running for her car. She didn't have time to explain and she didn't even have all the information yet, but whatever was happening, she knew it was bad and she couldn't sit back and do nothing.

Driving from the Mandalore to the small motel she always met Anakin at was a pain. Traffic from where the city's nightlife thrived meant that every lane of traffic was backed up so it took more than twice the time it normally took her to get out of the area and once out, the traffic lessened.

Padme checked into the motel as she had done so many times before and went to the room. She found it difficult to settle her mind and her body could not sit still as she paced the width of the room as she waited. At the knock on the door, she jumped and opened it gasping as she finally saw the reason Anakin had called her. His right eye was swollen and already tinting a dark shade of color and there was a long cut just above it. The left side of his jaw was also changing color. His shirt was torn in several places, giving her a decent view of the damage under it, most of it being bruises and small cuts. In short, he looks horrible.

"What happened?" She asked once she shut the door behind him.

"One of my clients is married," He said, "You can imagine her husband wasn't exactly pleased to know about me." Anakin groaned and gripped his side as he took a seat on the edge of the bed and Padme immediately retreated into the bathroom, taking some of the washcloths and running them under the cold water.

When she returned to the room he had already pulled his shirt off and when their eyes met, he wordlessly took one of the offered wet towels and pressed it to his face, hissing as the cold tingled against his skin.

Padme hesitated beside him, unsure if he would want her to help with the other injuries. She wasn't sure about the extent of them, but if he would let her help, she would. She took a seat beside him, slowly so as not to startle him and taking one of the other towels, she gently pressed it to the bruises on his ribs. He jumped slightly at the contact and let out a pained groan, "Sorry," She said.

"Not the first time I've been hit," He said, not stopping her as she returned the towel to his ribs, dragging it up the length of it to his side where the bruising was less. She wasn't a doctor, but from how sturdy his ribs felt, she didn't think they were broken.

"Why did you call me?" She asked after a moment, "I mean… I thought-"

He shook his head, "I don't know," He said. "The guy must have been following his wife for a while. My tires were slashed in the hotel parking lot. I had to walk here. Now I don't even have a car to get to work." Anakin let out a shaking breath, "I just need to put up with this for a few more years." His mind seemed to be focused on everything but what just happened to him- what could have happened to him. The husband could have done far worse to him- Anakin could have easily been killed if the man had been armed with a gun. Knowing his tires were slashed, was an indication that the man had been armed with something- a knife maybe and the cuts on his body showed it was something sharp.

"You know schools on the South side aren't too good," He started, not even seeming to care who he was talking to. Padme listened to him, allowing him to speak his mind as he clearly needed to. "Ahsoka's smart- brilliant, in fact. I know she'll do great things if she's given the chance to… That's why I got her into one of those big name private schools on the East side. It's expensive, but she has a better chance of getting into college with one of those schools behind her…" He pulled the rag away from his face and turned it over to a cooler side before returning it to his face, "Most of what I make goes into the tuition for that. Everything else… goes into savings and bills, and whatever else we need. I want her to go to college- a good college. She has the grades, we just need the money. And I know Ahsoka well enough to know she'll settle for less for my sake. But she shouldn't have to. We were dealt a bad hand from the beginning. I'm not about to let her fold when she could actually win."

Padme nodded in understanding, "But what about you?" She asked, "It's very noble of you, wanting to do whatever you can for her, but… does she even know about this?"

He shook his head, "She'd kick my ass if she knew. She knows I have a night job. She thinks I work a security job at night. It's the only way I can get away with sometimes looking like… this. Though this is by far the worst one yet," He said. "I can't exactly go home looking this bad. She'll ask questions. And I don't think I can answer them tonight."

His shoulders slumped heavily as though the weight he carried was crushing him. Padme moved closer to him, placing her hand on his shoulder and trying to give him what comfort she can. "Whether you believe it or not," She stated, "I _do_ care about you."

"…I know," He said, "Though I can't imagine why."

"We may not have met in the most… conventional way," She started, "But I'm glad I met you. You're a good person. I can see it. I just want to know more about that person."

His brow raised as much as the swelling would allow, "I'm really nothing special," He argued.

"Let me be the judge of that," She said, giving him a small smile.

His eyes locked with hers and for a moment it looked as though he would argue with her and tell her she didn't know what she was talking about or close himself off to her again, but he didn't. Instead, that look faded and she saw something new in his eyes. His defenses were lowered just enough that she could see a small piece of him he was hiding. Fear. He was afraid- not of her, she didn't think- but more a fear of letting someone in. She knew practically nothing about him but she somehow knew he had been hurt in the past. Trust was something that did not come easy for him. Trust was earned and he seemed to be weighing if she was deserving of that trust. And after what felt like hours of silence, he answered her with a small nod of his head and said, "Okay."


	6. Epilogue

Epilogue

The excitement on the young girl's face was contagious as she talked about all the jobs she had already applied for and all the things she hoped to get done in the next ten years of her life. Ahsoka was without a doubt proud of herself. Her college graduation had been marked on the calendar for four years and it was something both she and Anakin had been looking forward to. This was the fruit of all of Anakin's hard work trying to give her the opportunities he struggled to keep and seeing the smile on her face, and the hope and ambition she had, only showed it was all worth it.

In the years since her professional relationship with Anakin ended, they had grown closer than she originally thought they would. Sitting at the table celebrating Ahsoka's achievements, she could happily say they were dating. It hadn't been easy getting to where they are now there had been several rough patches along the way as they tried to put distance between him and his former profession and after several attempts to find a second job that would fill that void, they found one. It was a terrible job. But it was certainly better than being paid to have sex with strangers.

Padme listened to Ahsoka as she talked about some of the finer details in the designs of ocean turbines. And while she might not understand a word of it, Anakin had no trouble jumping in on the conversation, adding his own observations and ideas which inevitably led to an even more confusing topic. She loved watching them interact. Loved how they could get stuck on a topic for what seemed like hours and how they challenged one another in a battle of knowledge which would eventually turn into childish banter with one trying to out wit the other. She almost felt sad for the two of them. With Ahsoka now graduated, Anakin had been looking for work on the other side of the country at some of the leading car manufacturers. He got one. And now he can proudly say it is his job to design engines instead of just testing them. It was what he always wanted to do. But Ahsoka had dreams that would take her to the other side of the world. Saying goodbye would not be easy for any of them- even more so for Anakin. But it was what needed to be done for all of them. And, at least for her, it wouldn't be for long.

END

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 **MUCH shorter than I thought it would be in my head, and it gives me the same feeling I had when I read the epilogue to Harry Potter, but until I write the "midquel" of the story (which I hope to do eventually) this is just kind of a way to tie it all up in a (sorta) nice way. Thank you once again for reading, following and reviewing!**


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